This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a switch base constituting a miniature switch. The switch base has fixed contact portions arranged in a plurality of rows on the top side thereof, and terminal portions, which are integrated with the fixed contact portions, arranged in a single row on the bottom side thereof.
In a conventional method of manufacturing a switch base constituting a miniature switch, members produced by a blanking process are used. Each blanked member is formed to include three finger-shaped pieces and a common strip interconnecting the finger-shaped pieces. Each finger-shaped piece is formed beforehand to include a fixed contact portion and a terminal portion.
The blanked members are inserted in a mold and the common strips of the blanked members are held in the mold. Thereafter, portions situated between the fixed contact portions and terminal portions are enveloped by an insulative resin to form a base, after which the common strips of the blanked members are cut off to provide a switch base in which the fixed contact portions and terminal portions are arranged.
One problem encountered in the conventional manufacturing method is that since two of the blanked members are used, it is necessary to employ a number of molds.
Another problem is that when the switch base is mounted on a printed circuit board, namely when the switch is attached to a printed circuit board longitudinally or transversely, it is required that the terminal portions be bent row by row, so that the bending work involves an expenditure of great labor. In addition, the fact that the switch occupies a large area of the printed circuit board is an impediment to reducing the size of the device using the switch.